


Anything for them

by SimonaKey



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-10-27 09:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10806048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimonaKey/pseuds/SimonaKey
Summary: A Father would do anything to save his family. Even if that would mean the end of him, but thats fine, with the abilty to see he can make a plan of his own...His only wish he had was that he was as good at chess as his best friend is...Maybe then planning would have been easier.





	1. Hoping...

A father would do anything to save his family.  
  
_"Anything?"_  
  
_"Yes."_  
  
_"Than we have a deal."_  
  
Jack shivered as he remembered, he was alone in the bathroom. He removed his right glove and checked the back of his hand. Four circular lines were draw a bit over the half. He knew when the lines connected he will have to pay the price he argued on. He didnt have too much time, though the side effects while those red lines were growing were useful. He could only hope he does everything right to protect his family this time. It was quite a heartache when he saw the truth so clearly. He looked at his mirror reflection.  
  
_Doomed 55%_  
  
The words fly just over his head as if they were suspended in water. That was the side effect of the contact. Words only he could see. Word that didnt lie.  
  
_Bad chess player._  
  
Was off to the side of his head, they shifted into a new set of words.  
  
_But still plays it._

He sighed putting the glove back on. He had to make this work, he had to do it. Only if he succeeded his family could survive their biggest threat. Himself. The words changed once more, catching his attention.  
  
_Watched by a ghost._  
  
Taking the comb and going thought his hair. Of course he couldnt even take some time to himself in the bathroom. Maybe he spooked Vlad a bit too much with their conversation in the lab three days ago. But he had to shake Vlads world up from the foundation. Only then he could count on his friend to do what he needed him to do. To behave like Jack awaited him to. Jack winched to himself as he sounded like some scheming b rated villain to his own ears. His eyes went to the side of the mirror. The outline of something invisible was poking thought the wall. Invisibility didnt work on him anymore. With a simple glance he saw the words around the invisible creature.... Friend, Jack mentally corrected himself.

He read the words floating around the ghost head.

He left the bathroom knowing way more than he ever wanted, even so he wasnt the type to throw things away. His shed was a prime example of that. Neither did he ignored information...At least not on purpose. Not that he would be able to ignore this power that forced itself on him.   
  
He decided he would threat it all like a engineering problem. Figuring where each piece fit just like when he builds a machine. He laughed and tried to talk about ghost to Jasmine, Vlad reappeared out the kitchen, visible this time. He had hope that this one time he will be able to fix everything. Make everything work out for the best.


	2. Just the Fire...

"You are staying longer?" Maddy asked turning away from the pot she just stirred. 

In the kitchen was her family and Vlad. She didnt understand why Jack wanted Vlad to stay the weekend but she allowed it because she was sure Vlad would have said no. She had no idea how her husband managed to get the busy man to stay over. But that was fine too, it would only be for short. Danny looked really grumpy for having their college friend stay in his room. At least yesterday he did, for breakfast he was constantly looking over. 

 

She had to wonder if something happened in the night.

 

Jack dragged him away before she could start questioned the white haired man. So she rounded on asking Danny, that went horribly wrong, her son run off to meet his friends. She reasoned it couldnt be that important. Just teeeneger being a teen. Maddy sighed, sometimes she wondered if she gave too much freedom to her children, or was to getting involved enough in their life...Maybe then Danny would answer the simplest of questions she had. She distracted herself by working on the upgrades for the oven that was way overdue. She completely carried away for lunch time with her work. She didnt even notice when the two men left the lab. She did succeed in improving the oven, pleased she set out to make the best dinner she could think off. She even got a receipt picked. A nice dinner and Vlad will go out her kitchen and everything will return to routine.

She was working on it right now, and Vlad decided to ruin her plans. 

"Yes, yesterday and today showed me how much I am over do for a vacation. And where would it be better spent then with friends. If you want me, that is." Vlad explained himself, she could tell he was eyeing her pot and the oven where the baked pasta with cheese and ham was .....well.... being baked. 

"I dont think..." Maddie started, Danny already jumping saying no in the same time Jack said yes and hugged the air out of Vlad. Maddy smirked briefly when for a brief moment she could sworn she heard a rib crack away. She stopped talking and gave a pointed look to her husband. 

"Jack, darling. We have a lot of work to do. I am sure Vlad would prefer somewhere nicer to stay." Her subtle was completely wasted  on her bubbly husband that went on explaning and planning in excitement.

"Oh we can have a boys night out! And maybe some shopping trip!" Jack started to plan away like a force of nature.

"Ugh, dad" Danny rubbed the back of his head defiantly glaring at Vlad now. That was definitely a glare. "Ugh, I kinda have lot of school work to do in my room." But Jack had a response ready for that.

"V-man can tutor you and help out with that."

"What? I can?"

"What? He can?"

Danny and Vlad spoke in unison staring at jack who laughed and nodded. "Yes."

"Darling," She leaned against Jack, giving him a kiss to shut him up. "What vacation would it be for Vlad, if we force our guest to tutor our children." She looked over at her son who was silently thanking her, and then at Vlad who opened his mouth to say something before a confused expression replaced the confident one. He looked at the door that lead to the lab, fingers tapping against each other before he looked back at Jack. She didnt see that indecisiveness in Vlad face since collage days, and the day the parker match was in the same day and time as an exam he had.

"It wouldn't be any trouble. I may even enjoy helping our young Danniel with some high school work. It would be relaxing to me."

"See! Everything is sorted. Thanks V-man. I know I could always be counting on you." Vlad face twitched as her husband moved to slap the shorter adult back. It nearly felt like there was said more than what was on the surface. The way Jack smile was softer, and Vlad expression unreadable, it nearly appeared as if ... She shook that idea off, With Vlad sure, but Jack? He wasnt like that, he was not a man able to keep secrets or shame and he appeared really happy to get to spend more time with his friend. She gave up, she couldnt say no for long when it was making Jack this happy. She will have a talk with him in the night about making decisions before talking with her.

"Well I suppose a few more days would be nice to have you over." She smiled at Vlad politely, who didnt even look at her as he responded with thank you. He was watching Jack. Jasmine yelped as she looked up from her book.

"Fire!" She called out. Sure enough, the oven started to smoke, she took the fire extinguisher going to open the oven. Instead of firing it she had to use it as a club at the meal that jumped out the oven trying to bite her and set her on fire. Ecto infested pasta was trying to get everyone sticky with cheese it spitted out like some cobra would venom. Which it may be because the cheese was starting fire when it landed on the wooden or flammable surfaces. 

 Twenty minutes later the fight against the fire splitting baked cheese and ham pasta  was won and she was more than pleased with the team work her family showed and how effective they contained the spread of fire to only a fourth of the kitchen area.

"Out." Vlad  said hair singed and suit jacket ruined from the white foam. Maybe she used a tad too much foam to take care of the small fire on his hair. Maybe. But it just so happened before his hair caught a bit of fire, that he happened to be offering her son, if he wanted, he could eat at his home. Which Danny shot down, such a sweetboy.

Vlad was taking the ruined piece of jacket now off and washing his hands.

"I said, out." He repeated himself.

"We have to clean it, and make some new food. Maybe order some pizza." She offered but apparently that was not an option. "I said. Out. The. Kitchen. I will clean it up, I will cook. Now out."Maddy only got to blink as Vlad managed to push her and Jack out and slam the door in her face.

"He...He just took over my kitchen, didnt he?"

"Yes, Vlads cooking is amazing!" She shot a pout in the direction of her husband who for a change got the message. It was a mothers job to nutrient her children and love. Jack started to save the situation. "After yours of course, but I never saw such an enthusiastic pasta, it gave quite a good fight."

"I am taking a shower." She announced and left, a bit more than a hour later Vlad opened the kitchen door. He wore her apron, well she never wore it because it was unpractical with the jumpsuits.  Stepping in the kitchen she saw it was clean and they had a new table?... How did he manage to replace the table without her noticing and so fast? That question was beyond her.  The smell was mind numbing how well it smelled, like paradise.

It quickly pushed any other thoughts out her mind.

"Its not poisonous Danny, feel free to dig in." She looked between her son and Vlad but the boy sat down and took a bite. Danny hummed before pretending it was so-so. Adorable. Her son was adorable.

The food was good... fine the food was the best she had in a long time. Vlad always had a talent for cooking. She had a feeling Vlad would keep the kitchen during his vacation here... Well maybe she could use that free time on some of her inventions, then?...

 


	3. Things you told me...

So that was it? Jack wondered as he walked into the high security room. It wasnt that hard to melt the lock away using his Fenton ecto gun. In front of the Fenton was a hourglass, having sand for maybe three minutes at most, Jack guessed. Inspecting it closely he couldnt spot anything unusual. It was plain, boring, the sand was just white sand at first glance.  
  
When he was told about the ghost artifact in GIW care he awaited something more spectacular. Maybe glowing, or at least gold and jewels on it. Not just plain old looking metal and glass. Jack didnt doubt it was a ghost artifact. The lights flickered. The ghost hunter knew his friend was awaiting him to use it. To be ready to pay the price... and he was right, Jack was ready to pay any price to undo today. More than willing to use it.  
  
An artifact that has the power to turn the time back for exactly a day. Allowing that one day to be altered in whichever way the user desired. It became a prison for a dangerous ghost, the prisoner of the hourglass would most likely be the one asking for the price to be paid. Jack didnt have anything left to loss. His children were gone, his beautiful wife was gone. And right this moment his friend was fighting and resisting with everything he had the test the GIW wanted to try out on their new prisoner...In a bit, he would be gone too...And it would only be him left, Jack Fenton.

  
Being a lab rat wasnt the only reason Vlad was resisting and causing trouble.  Jack knew. It didnt matter to him if he gets killed now, because he knew he was simply soaking the attention of the ghost hunters so Jack could have his leisure walk to the vaults and undoes everything.   
  
It was Vlad who even told him this artifact was here, and was the reason he was visiting the ghost hunting organisation today. Only the bad news Jack told him when they meet in the hallway made him snap and throw his control and survival instincts out the window. Exposing himself so he could kill the person who dared to let his family die today, and had the audacity to be alive in front of him.  
  
At first Jack was shocked with the Wisconsin ghost crying while he was subdue by the many GIW personal around him, yet still trying to murder him. Only seeing Jack and wanting to rip him apart. If that happened anywhere but mids the ghost hunter central, Jack was sure the ghost would have killed him...

_He walked to talk to him only a hour after he was secured.  He didnt understood, one moment he spoke to his best friend and searching emotional support for the tragedy that occurred and the next a ghost was trying to electrocute him. Screaming how could he fail to protect his family. A few bandaged applied on Jack. The agents telling him their plans on such a rare and powerful specimen...._

_He entered the room in front of the door four guards were ready to shot and ask questions never. Inside the room he stopped. It was his friend in the anti ghost chains. A lot of anti ghost chains.The room dimly lit. Head bleeding and looking soul shattered.  His ponytail got undone making his hair fall around his face like a curtain. He looked older like that. The voice he spoke with was silent and reminded Jack of a broken man._  
  
_"My goal today was to steal from GIW a ghost artifact stored in the security level 7, they came in possession recently." Vlad started, raising his head, showing the dried tears and eyes filled with despair. Jack wasnt able to look away, a humorless smirk appeared on Vlad face. A ghost of a smile. "Since the collage accident Jack... Ecto acne is fatal. I am half dead because of it. Your fault." Vlad blinked slowly, before continuing, hands slightly pulling on his restrains, another drop of red blood fall down his face and on the pristine white floor of the cage. The sound echoing in the silence._

 _"The hourglass artifact can not undo twenty years but it can rewind a single day. Under a price... " Vlad looked positively scary when he spoke, head eerily raising to meet Jack eyes, it was unnatural but Jack couldn't say why. Actually the look in Vlad eyes was a look close to madness if Jack was asked. It was the first time he looked at a ghost or human and was truly terrified of their wrath. "Unfortunately my hands are bound to use it myself..."There was a smirk spreading over the face, tongue slipping out to lick some of the blood away. " I heard rumors ... it is serving as prison to a powerful entity. Who knows what the price will be.~" Jack left the room without a uttering a single word, a maddening laugh started echoing the halls after him._  
  
Freeing a deadly ghost, Jack was about to do exactly that. Only to get everyone back alive and well. To turn back the clocks. "I will do anything." He took the hourglass and turned it around.  
  
**Anything?**  A silk deep voice questioned directly inside his head. Jack didnt even get to think about the strange situation as it kept on speaking. **Then we have a deal.**  
  
"Mr. Fenton! What are you thinking you are doing there?!" There were two agents with guns pointing at him. So they did notice him breaking their safe open. He was about to try and babble his way out. He gasped as sand in the shape of white spears pierced the agents chest while at the same time sand was pouring forcibly into their mount choking and muffling any cry or sound of death. Their sunglasses were pushed off their faces and clattered on the sand covered floor.  
  
Jack looked at the hourglass in his hand. It was overflowing with white sand. He looked back at the men, apologizing. He couldnt feel horrified yet. He will fix it.  
  
**Take off your right hand glove.**  
The voice in his head commanded and Jack wordlessly obeyed. A ghostly scream of pain washed over the many hallways. Jack felt ill. He didnt allow himself to think.  
  
**Cut the back of your hand and let the sand pour in the wound. Make sure its a nice big cut.** The voice told him and Jack fumbled a few moments until he found the Fenton Swiss knife and made a deep gash as instructed. The sand started slipping in the wound and he fall to his knees. He was feeling dizzy, the oddness of complete silence confusing. Was he responsible for it yet another death?... Or at least half a more death?  
  
**The price I will take is you.**  Jack frowned his eyebrows together, at the voice. **Your life, your mind, your soul, your body. All of those will belong to me. Be me. But I am not cruel, you will have a grace period. I have to prepare your body and mind for me. Enjoy the gift of seeing in the meanwhile.**

 

 

  
A blink.

 

 

  
Jack only blinked and the world around him changed. One second he was watching the inside of the vault, and a blink later he was sitting on his bed in the dark. His bladder full, he ignored this need to look behind himself at the bed. Maddie was sleeping there, her chest raising and failing. Alive. No ugly explosion marking half her face and some more. It did it. It worked, he had to stop himself from calling Vlad and telling him that it worked, the man wouldnt know what happened because nothing happened...  
  
In the mirror Jack saw the first words floating around him. Looking at his hand he read the explanation that it was the gift the ghost spoke off... A pact with the devil was technically what Jack got himself in. Or worse, because the devil takes only the soul, this thing wanted everything.  
  
_Not allowed to speak of the deal with anyone._  
  
The words floated around his hand, of course. He will have to deal with the results of his actions. Yet, firstly he had to change the day and keeps everyone alive. Afew alterations would save his family and friends life. After that he will thinking about the ghost he didnt know or understand.  The Phantom turned into his son... Vlad turned into a ghost...The ghost out for his life. Jack silently opened his sons room and looked at the sleeping boy. The words were floating around his son as well. The things they said made him feel horrible.  
  
_Half Ghost._  
  
_Half alive, Half dead._  
  
_The hero of Amity Park._

_Danny Phantom._

The words shifted into a new set as he was done reading, far from having them sink in.  
  
_A sprained ankle, two deep gashes across his left leg. Eight brises, a light concussion._  
_Estimated healing time 6h_  
  
His son was so hurt, and yet he never told them anything. Even worse how many times did he and Maddy were responsible for their son wounds. Only because they tried to catch a ghost who was actually being a hero. What kind of parents are they? They couldnt even recognize their own son. How many times did the ghost nearly said mom or dad? How many inventions were blantaly telling him Danny was a ghost. They were blind to his oddities, blind to his trouble they were causing to their son. How?

How could this have happened?

He didnt understood!

As if to spite him, the words started shifting into new ones. Jack couldnt close his eyes to them, he tried he still saw the words on the back of his eyelids.  
  
_Became a half ghost because of the portal in the basement._  
_Oversight of the portal design, a mistake._  
_The on/off button was on the inside._  
_In the dark he leaned on it, turning it on._  
  
There was even a date of when it happened, but Jack knew when the portal started working. He left the room and went to the rooftop. He needed air desperately. He killed his son, he half killed his son dooming him in an existence where he had to fear any ghost hunter in the world. What if the portal just killed his boy? Jack pulled on his hair. All because he was too much of a idiot to realize a fault in his design. All because he was not paying attention to what he was doing, he put Danny in harm's way. A parent was supposed to protect their child not be the reason they are half dead!  
  
Vlads words, echoed cruelly in his head. The words he spoke while he was bound like a ghost. He didnt need the mocking words in front of him to realize it wasnt even the first time he did it. Not the first time he half killed someone. It was him who pressed the button before making sure everyone is a safe distance away from the porto portal. Basic safety protocol ignored just so he could get to ghost the few seconds faster.  
  
He half killed his best friend. No wonder they were not in any contact for twenty years... Vlad tended to hold grudges and enjoyed to prank revenge their bullies. Even if their bullies would do the double bullying on Vlad to get him back for it. The Wisconsin ghost at the reunion was Vlad... Vlad was the ghost. Jack sat down allowing his head to fall in his hands. The words reminding him that he had to behave normally.  
  
How was he supposed to behave normally now that he was showed what his action lead to. He only had a hour before he saw Phantom... no Danny fly out ... fly out his room. He was flying out his room. The boy was going to school. Jack winced, he undid it, it never happened... It didnt mean he couldnt still hear and see them. Ghost of another time haunting him. Jack walked down to the kitchen and started tinkering with the same termos he did last today. But this time he will pretend he didnt even notice that his ghost son was flying out. He will not stand up and will not point the termos at him and will not catch him by chance.

That safe he busied Maddy with fixing something in the lab while he went shopping. She would be safe in the basement. Out harms way.  
  
This time he said no to GIW he spotted were waiting for him, just like they were waiting for Maddy in the other time. They were displeased but the flying words were quite useful here. The words telling him about the rulers that they were thinking about. It was really funny seeing those agents turn away from him to check in their precious rule books, only to have them say he was right just because he stated their rulers against them.  
  
Danny and Jazz returned home together. No worried princess this time. Jack felt joy in his chest seeing them well. He insisted on a family movie evening. He had the need to keep them in his view until the day was over. It was hard not to be constantly distracted with Jazz and Danny by their words that were flattering around their heads. His princes knew about Danny half ghost status, she was proud of him saving people... Yet she never clued them in. Were they giving such a untrustworthy vibe...  
  
Ghost obsessed.  
  
Jack declared he will get some more popcorn and run off to the kitchen, once he was sure he was alone he let the heavy sigh out. Checking the time he knew Vlad was at the GIW headquarters now. It was a bit before they meet. Was he stealing the hourglass now? Will that artifact even be there now? Jack hand hoovered over the phone. He decided to call in the morning, the ghost hunters were none the wiser about his friend ghost powers until he exposed himself in front of them...  
  
He decided to trust his friend abilty to not get caught. He will call him later when everyone else in the house went to sleep.

 


	4. One little favour...

_ They say one moment in time can change your world. _

 

"Can you do me a favour?" Jack asked as sparks fly from his work desk, another ghost apparatus being worked on.

 

_ One moment filled with one sentences, can change everything. _

  
"Of course." Vlad respond half boredly, the machine not yet spiking his interest. He was only there in the lab because Jack all but dragged him off in a hurry trying to show him something. He was invited over the weekend. The first day passed in more or less boredly. The night was embarrassing, not nice at all. And then now the man started poking around the newest invention without so much but a word. Well up till now. It was just right after breakfast, which was kinda good, it meant less time around Danny. He didnt like how the boy was looking at him. He wasnt weak. He wasnt about to break.

One bad dream, that all it was. The little badger at least provided enough distraction. He was a enjoyable conversation partner, yet he didnt want to be pitied. If he had to beat the boy to go back to the familiar terrain he will arrange something.

 

_ And you are never ready for that moment, when it comes. _

 

"When the time comes, could you kill me." Jack said as if he asked to reach for the screwdriver over there. The billionaire beside the orange jumpsuit man stared mouth open. His whole world has just been uprooted and put on the head, he felt lightheaded and had to check his feet to make sure he didnt start floating, because he sure felt like he lost his ground. Too many questions started to float in his mind trying to make sense out this nonsense. Jack asking to die? Never... Right?  
  
He had sensitive hearing, so he was positive he couldnt have misheard the man. Maybe he hallucinated it? He could ask to repeat the question, just to make sure. Or ask about the time part, or what he meant with kill. Couldnt mean kill as in what Vlad was trying to do in for a while. Instead of saying repeat that please, another question slipped from his lips.  
  
"Why?" The simple word was drenched in his disbelief of the situation.  
  
"Because I trust you, you are my best friend." Jack said like from a well practiced script. Was this some joke? It was not the first of April... Vlad didnt get to try figure the puzzle at hand as Jack slammed his fist against the table surprising the white haired man and making the apparatus on the table jump up and give a few dying sparks.  
  
"No thats a lie." Jack said and Vlad tried not to respond with which part. Jack continued taking a deep breath now actually turning to face Vlad and meet his eyes. "Well, partial it is the reason...but not why... its.."  
  
"My friend," Vlad interrupted Jack, who was trying to find words for who knows what. "What troubles you?" He couldt believe himself that he was actually asking that question to Jack from all people. Even harder was it to believe he actually wanted to know. Maybe he should have stayed away from fenton work when Jack called him to visit over for the weekend. " Is it money? Just ask, I can support your family and work ten times over. Or do you have problems with the government. I know people, Jack. The best lawyer in the world own me." The Fenton waved his head.  
  
"Nothing the like, Vladdy."  
  
"Did you had a fight with Maddy? Or is it because you couldnt catch a ghost?" Vlad spoke kinda hoping that dramatic sentences came from having marriage trouble. If so he was already planning to be Maddies shoulder to cry out. Maybe then she will see how much better of a choice he was than the big idiot. Yet, Jack made his dreams short lived with a shake of his head.  
  
"Dont tell her I asked you to do this. " Jack placed a heavy gloved hand on his shoulder. Vlad was trying to figure since when, if ever, Jack hid things from Maddy. He couldnt think of a time the man did that. The pawn wasnt behaving like he awaited.  
  
"No one could do it and afterwards keep on living with that on their consciousness but you V-man. You always had the strongest will and the greatest determination for surviving regardless of methods. I was quite a few times jealous of you for that." Vlad was pretty sure he was dreaming, or in an alternative universum. There was no way Jack, the blabbering moron, could be jealous of HIM. That just didnt happen in the world Vlad usually lived in. On top giving such a sincere sounding compliment... one he actually enjoyed hearing regardless of the fact it was Jack saying it.  
  
"So... am I supposed to shot you now? Or do you want to eat a bowl of fudge first?" Vlad said cynically trying to distant from the warm feeling that sparked in his chest without his approval.  
  
Jack laughed as if he was trying to light up the mod...  
  
"No, not now silly. You will know when."  
  
Seeing he had to be direct Vlad shot his question, voice raising a bit up from frustration.  
"And why do you think I will ki-..." He couldnt say the word out it stuck like a bitter stone in his neck. "Do that to begin with? Maybe I will chicken out...or miss. Why are you sounding so sure I can succeed." Considering all the attempts he did that failed. Jack smirked... Vlad was debating if he was overshadowed and a ghost was playing him a fool.  
  
Jack stood up, and Vlad stood pointedly in front of him blocking his way out the lab. He made a invisible duplicate and used it to check Jack, the ghost hunter wasnt overshadowed. Which made the following sentences that much worrying.  
  
"You and Danny have a lot in common." He was shocked, the idiot couldnt have possible figured it out? He was perfectly careful. Did Danny mess up? Did he mean something else? "Be good to him." And with that the Fenton simple walked around the still reeling Vlad and up the stairs. Vlad found that he was simple standing in place for good five minutes. Only the crashing sounds from upstairs from a normal Fenton family day snapped him back to reality.... A bent reality.  
  
With a general sense of worry he walked up the stairs and texted his companies that he was taking a vacation.


	5. I spy...

 

Maddy was the easiest to be around. At moments he could even forget himself and think that everything is normal. His wife had the least words floating around her. The few that floated around she would soon after say them aloud. She was honest and didnt appear to hide anything. The few things she didnt say were making Jack feel warm and bubbly. Variation of 'I love you' or comments how much she adored and liked him. The few times he spotted the words kiss me, he did exactly that. Much to his wife happiness.

How he wished to share, to at least tell her what was going on. She was clever she could figure things out, but... then he would put her in danger. He didnt want to ever see her deadagain. When he would fear that happening he would hug her close to him, and not let her go until she starts to worry about him.

 Jasmine was mostly honest with them as well, that is for anything beside Danny human or ghost sides. Then the words would all but jump out around her in a spiral, constantly changing as she worked how to say things to him to not suspect anything.

Once the initial day passed and everyone was well, he decided to be a better father for his children. Mostly trying to make up to Danny how ever he could think. First thing he decided was not to show any ghost hunting equipment to his son. Second, to not let his boy go down to the lab to clean it. Saying how he did it himself and instead Danny housework was to wash the dishes. The boy really liked that change the first two days that is. He wanted as well to make sure his son gets it in his head that as his parents, both he and Maddie would love him whatever happens or whatever he does.

It was when he said the first time he was proud of his son that a strange sentences floated up around his son. He still wasnt sure what it meant.

" _Me, my future - I'm inevitable._ " _Dan said._  

 _"No I will keep my promise, I will make them proud. "_  
 

 Who was Dan? Jack wondered but the only thing he got was the words worst fear. He couldnt exactly ask his son about it. But Dan was short for Danny, so he tried some time later to call his son with that nickname. Danny had a full blown panic attack. It ended with the boy telling him he disliked the nickname. It was the heaviest understatement Jack has ever witnessed. Yet, Jack promised he wouldnt use it anymore. The words 'worst fear', and 'I'm inevitable' repeated themself for the rest of the day. He left that secret alone for now. Whatever it was, it was absolutely terrifying his son, the least he could do is not to brother him about it... But it made him feel even more awful. What could have happened to his son for him to be so scared of this Dan? 

How blind were they to never noticed it on their own?

The first four days he kept Danny away from being a hero, away from getting hurt. Away from scaring himself mentally any further. Praising the boy, and trying to raise his confidence. At the end of the forth day the words teached him a new thing about halfas. Danny groaned as he offered to play Danny's favorite game so he could keep him inside the house. Danny fist clenched as if he was ready to punch someone. Jack read the words.

_"I hate you, dad."_

_Ghost half obsession_ _: Protecting and saving people._

 _Obsession_ _unsatisfied._

 

Jack felt confused, would that mean his son behaved like a ghost beside being half of one? Does it work like that? He couldnt really think about hating him? The words flickered and changed.

_Side effects: Hater, Anxiousness, Depression, Anger, Impulsiveness, Misery, Irrationality._

Jack suppressed a wince at reading that and the following morning eased up with showering Danny with fatherly and protective care and oversight so he could fulfill that obsession. That day Danny missed to come on time. The words informing Jack that his boy had been electrocuted lightly. Like the word lightly would make things any better.  He still felt miserable, worst he couldnt give his son any ghost protecting or ghost healing stuff, as that would be too out of character. Even weapons which were not intended to cause ghosts harm would be too out of character. In the news Jack saw Phantom  had fought the electronic controlling ghost.

It made Jack think of Vlad and wonder what his ghostly obsession was? He guessed the football team, or earning money? He couldnt figure it over the phone. Even if some words did fly out the phone especially when he got Vlad to talk away. He could notice that it was only a portion of the words. Thanks to those he found that Vlad was testing that hourglass artefact. Vlad deciding it was to dangerous and planning to move it to his treasure hideout. 

HIs best friend had a treasure hide out? Was that his obsession?

He found out that his friend used duplicates extensively in his daily life. Now that Jack was thinking about it he never saw any staff at Vlad place not even a single maid. Now it made sense, in a way to protect his secret he couldnt trust anyone, so his duplicates cleaned and cooked. Went to his companies and interacted with some important people.  It suited his friend, Vlad always complained how he couldnt be in two places at once back in the collage. How he would like that to be his super power beside super intellect.

As well Jack found out that Vlad planned to send a ghost to steal and replace a DNA sample with a more normal one and less ghostly, he had to give to disprove some woman pretending to bear his child. A plot to get money out of him, which apparently happened quite a few times. It was during those lines Jack read that his friend was in love with his wife. It was an extremely uncomfortable moment. Especially because Vlad was talking about how he cannot wait for the next season match and the new player in the Parkers when the words floated from the telephone.Jack would have preferred to read more about plans involving his ghost workforce, then to see that tidbit.

Was that Vlad obsession? Maddie? 

Hearing she died from his lips in the hallways of GIW... of course it would break him. Jack gulped spacing out as he feared if Danny would get that broken man and madness look if he failed to protect someone? Was his son in danger of snapping in the worst ways?

Once more he insisted on his friend coming over, he needed to see it all, to read everything. Maybe he was missing a important bit. Vlad was longer a halfa he surely has to know the how to's to be a healthy halfa. Was there a way to change obsessions, to something less prone to failure. Like collection cards, or?

The week was over and Vlad was finally there. 

There was one thing Mads hid from him. His friend asked her to leave him to be with Vlad. When the words floated up, as the reason she wasnt comfortable completely around Vlad. It was the one thing that hurt him deeply. His wife, didnt hide anything from him... she hid that to not ruin his happiness. To not ruin the one friendship he had. To not be all alone, she hid what Vlad did. Vlad made her beloved a liar. 

It was breakfast when the doorbell sounded. He sprinted up to the door. He opened it and there was Vlad in a fake smile and cluttered with words. Jack underestimated how many secrets Vlad harbored. He hugged the man to get a bit of time to read them all. The one that took most of his attentions were 3 small rows. 

_Ghostly half obsession: to be sincerely loved, cared about._

_Obsession dangerous-highly unsatisfied._

_"All I have ever wanted, was love..."_

Jack kept the hug going as he was taking in what he was seeing. Reading what Vlad believed, that only Mads could ever accept his ghost half. Accept him as human and as a ghost. It broke Jacks heart to think about the side effects that were affecting his friend. All because he couldt trust any human to accept both halves of what he was. Seeing the next words, that told him about how Vlad cared for his son, because his son was the only other being able to understand their unique position. The only one suffering the same fate as his own and even by the same idiots hand.

Jack hug got stronger, making Vlad grunt trying more violently to get out of it.

"J-Jack are you trying to break my ribs?!"

"I am sorry." He responded, but not really letting Vlad out his hug. He had to fix his friend. "I missed you. You know I care for you. You could tell me anything." He grinned at his friend, but apparently paranoia, mistrust and doubt were reactions to the honest words. Vlad was wondering why he said it, he distracted him by talking about how Mads missed him too. Vlad believed him, being clueless about Jack knowing his most well guarded secret, not aware that his whole being is being exposed, Vlad instantly rejected the kind words, as nothing more than polite chatter with no meaning.

It made Vlad perk up hearing about Maddy. Hope floated up, and Jack winced behind his friend back as he let him in the house. He will need to be more careful around him and what he says aloud. Jack reminded himself that not only his son feared any ghost hunter but Vlad did too. He was a ghost hunter, he couldnt let Vlad guess that he knew about his ghost half. Not before he figured a way to help that obsession level to go down. Then he would have his friend back.

 

 


	6. Hidden...

Vlad Masters took a breath to brace himself as he was getting ready for the day. It was a week ago since he had been successful with his scheme in the GIW. The artifact he obtained was quite fascinating, but in his analysis he found it was more fragile and dangerous than he first anticipated. Handling it was more trouble than it was worth it. Careful to never directly touch the artifact he stored it in his most hidden place. The place where his ghost collection was stored away.

At this point of time he was wondering if collecting them was his ghostly obsession. He throw that notion out the window. There were better reasons he was collecting them. Even greater reason he was hiding them out the reach of both worlds.   
  
No ghost or human could access it, only he as halfa could.Maybe Danny if he ever take the boy to see it first. He doubted Danny would ever find this place on his own. It was his most precious discovery, a pocket of space created from the mixing of both worlds nested out the reach of either inside the nothingness of the void. He remembered the day he came across it. One of his early tries of teleportations. He tried to escape the ghost zone, as the natural portal closed before he managed to get out. The panic, the spears and ecto blast cutting his ghostly self. He hugged the book in his arms and just plunged head first.

He imagined  his bedroom, he pulled all his energy into the abilty he just recently unlocked. He felt as he crossed the barrier of the ghost world, what he didnt await was that there was room between the barrier of the human world. The void looked at him. 

He was stuck there. There was no real sense of time, his powers didnt work, and he was terrified that if he became human he would suffocate at the lack of air. He was inside the nothingness. He read the book about ancient ghost legends using only the natural ghost glow he gave off, to keep his sanity and make sure he stays awake. He read the whole book twice and his eyes started to close. He cried he would die so young. And he was so close to buy his first house from the profit and earnings he would made this year.

A light that wasnt his own attracted him, and he found the strange bubble. It was a feat to move and maneuver one self to it. He sunk through the walls of the strange light and fall down on dirth. After a good nap he explored the pocket space. It was quite big, some places had rock and earth some bit of rubble. It felt like both real world and zone. He had to be careful where he steps because there were spots that didnt had anything and would let him fall out back to the void.

He left the book there and tried to teleport away to his home. It worked. 

Weeks later he had figured how to build inside the space, it was easy to go back and forth from it. With the passage of time the book received company.

He teleported, his shoes landing with a soft sound on the stone floor he made with his own two hands. He walked beside the several display cases. The ghost lights giving the room a gentle glow, the furniture looking slightly dusty. Maybe he should clean this place the next time he comes over. He did get distracted with Danny from his usual visits.

He secured the hourglass not far off from the crown of fire. Every time he looked at it he felt pride. A perfect plan that played out perfectly. He could hear the whisper of the fire to his core, beckoning him to wear it and rule everything. He flirted with the artifact, the amount of power it held was mind numbing, but he was not willing to have the crown burn away his sanity and mind. Plus he feared it would be too easy if he did use it. He needed the challenge in his life. To have something to work for.

Having all those artifacts hidden here meant as well that they would never be used against him. To never have them be misused by anyone. He walked the way back and turned giving a one more look over the space. He allowed briefly to feel like a Indiana Jones looking over all the priceless artifacts he saved and secured. Chuckling at the childness, and blaming it on the teeneger he was interacting way too much with he left with a swing of his cape.

He left his collection behind to the hidden safety, to deal with the annoyance that was Jack. The last seven days Jack was calling at least twice a day. Insisting he should come over, and asking him about his day. Even encouraging him to monologue about the troubles of his work force. It irritated Vlad to no end, mostly because he was reminded how easy it was once long ago to talk to the man. Ignoring him didnt work either because the phone just keep on ringing, and when he on the third day unplugged it, he was visited by the fenton message deliverer carrying a Fenton phone that rung. It was like Jack was haunting him. And coming from a ghost that meant something.

  
So he gave in to the stubborn man request saying he will stay over for the weekend at their home. 

So here he was now, ready to knock on that door. In hindsight he should have stayed away, in hindsight she should never left his bed, in highsight he should have destroyed the artifact he just secured in his hidden collection. Yet he never assumed Jack to have hidden intentions in calling him over....It was Jack, the man who wore everything he was thinking on his sleeve. Him and having secrets just didnt go in the same sentences.

...

Everyone can be proven wrong as he found out that weekend.


	7. Rest...

Danny opened his eyes, he had heard something and was instantly assuming ghost. Mostly because it always was ghost in the end. As he raised to sit in his bed he realized that he had fallen asleep. That wasnt his plan, since his dad said Vlad will be staying over for the weekend and sleep in his room, Danny awaited some horrible plot to start happening. But apparently Vlad wanted to bore him to death by actually appearing as if he went to sleep. LIke he would fall for that. Seeing it was supposed to be only one night Danny was hoping to watch him the whole night, pulling an all nighter shouldnt be so hard. Then again he barely got any rest, even when he slept he awaited something to jump him.

There was a reddish flash and Danny looked over to the other side of his room. To his surprise Vlad was there, tossing while he was heavily breathing. Hands enveloped with half charged ecto attacks. The pink glow was what he noticed, shifting to his his ghost side he came closer.

"What are you doing there. Trying to shot me in my sleep?"

He floated over the man, noticing his features were not orderly controlled in mocking or smug manner. He looked ... terrified, while his eyes were closed...His breathing raging and uneven. Nearly as if something was choking him in the dream... He kicked out against something in his dream, red electricity flashing from his body and barely missing the ghost hovering over him. Hitting Danny trash bin instead. The poor plastic bin half melted from it, small blessing nothing caught fire.

"Hey! Look where you shoot old man!"

"...no...you... never take." Danny slowly landed, the small breathless voice couldnt be faked. Vlad wasnt pretending to be asleep... He was sure now, seeing his distress. The fruitloop had a nightmare and apparently he used his ghost powers in sleep. Then people worry about sleepwalking or talking in sleep. "...us alive... " Vlad winced hand tossing out the half baked ecto beam shooting out his hand and Danny watched how it hit the wall, ruining the corner of his poster. He had to wake him up or his room will not survive.

"Vlad, hey. Vlad its a bad dream." Winces came from the rich man and he kicked out again, Danny took a breath and grabbed the other shoulder. Praying this doesnt blow up in his face. Literally as well as figuratively. He shock him gently.

"...no one move...."

  
"Vlad! Wake up! Its not real!" He shook him stronger.

The breathing stopped with a sharp intake, eyes glowing red as they snapped open and the hand with the ecto energy was a inch away from Danny face. He didnt move, neither did Vlad. Seconds passed and Danny felt the man shiver under his hand.

"Vlad?"

"...Daniel?... You are alive?" There was a sort of disbelief as he said it. It made the young hero wonder if his arch enemy nightmare was about his death. He knew how it felt dreaming about people you care die on your watch.

"Yes, I am alive." He said with no joke in his voice and allowed his transformation rings to change him back to a human as to prove a point. Vlad let a slow breath out, the red in his eyes returning to the blue. Though they still looked spooked, haunted. "Could you?" Danny continued in his calm voice pointing to the still raised hand and the glowing ecto energy in front of his face.

"Oh, yes..." Vlad closed his hand in a fist the energy vanishing. The boy could hear the old man taking slow measured breaths. "... Your sister and Maddie. They are... " Danny blinked he didnt await Vlad to care about Jazz at all. Especially not after that incident where she pretended she wanted him to adopt her. Still he nodded and confirmed they are alive and well.

It was only then that Vlad noticed the hand on his shoulder and he jerked away from Danny touch. Giving him a pointed glare. Did he dream that everyone died? That he watched them die? He really wanted to know, yet... He moved back to sit on his bed. Allowing some space to the other. The silence was awkward as Vlad was determined to stare at a wall, breathing slowly in, hold breath, slowly out. Vlad was doing the thing Jazz would tell him, when she caught him having a nightmare. Count your breaths, be in this moment. He knew from his own experience that he would not go back to sleep tonight...

Talking about something, anything else helps him, maybe it would help the crazy cheese head too... Danny took a breath of his own and broke the silence.

"How did you even meet Skulker? The moment he found out I was a halfa he wanted to hunt me." Vlad head snapped to the boy one eyebrow raised. The hero in the room wasnt sure what he did to make the man have that expression. He couldnt even point what the expression was to begin with.

"What?"

"Well, you know Skulker before me, so how did you got him to work for you? I mean he ..."

"Daniel, I am not an idiot. I understood what were you asking. What I want to know is why no jab? Or witty commented at my undignified display you witnessed." Vlad voice was a lot more steady by this point, but there was a bit of a undertone Danny picked up. Just a touch of shakining leaking under the mask the older halfa put on.

"I am not heartless cheesehead...and you dont have to believe me but I know how it feels to have that type of a bad dream." An annoyed huff came from Vlad and his voice become more of an anger one.

"Of course. You definitely know how a nightmare where everyone you know is a dead feels. Dont make me laugh. You worst teenage hero mind can come up with probably involves a failing grade on a test." Vlad has stood up, walking a few steps in the room. Danny guessed he was trying to distract himself with the anger. He couldnt help the memories that would never leave him alone to replay behind his eyelids. He hugged his knees. At the lack of his own response. Vlad stopped walking turning to look at him. There was something in the air as Vlad face changed expression of anger into a sad one, before becoming intrigued with Danny. It was funny to Danny how by this point he could actually read the fruitloop ... at least when he isnt trying with all his might to act.

   
"Told you you dont have to believe it, fruitloop." Danny mumbled trying to avoid any eye contact as well as avoiding to close his eyes for any longer than a blink.

"You... do? Why, little badger?" Now it was Danny turn to stare at a wall and try to pointedly ignore his temporary roommate. The silence lasted for several seconds before he felt his bed dip a bit as his arch enemy sat beside him.

"Actually I was his favorite prey, until I graduated from it to become a hunter."

"What?" Danny looked over to Vlad who was smiling..a soft smile. One that looked really out of place from what he knew about the hybrid. It was a strange mix on the other halfa face, not really a full apologetic expression but not a full understanding one either. Something in between. It felt like he didnt made that face in years and forgot how to do it...

"You asked me about Skulker. I am answering." Danny tilted his head but nodded shifting to face the other halfa, maybe this was a temporary truce they were having. A moment? Sam would call him crazy the moment he was retelling his friends how this night went.

"So he wanted to skin you, and put your pelt at display as well?"

"Oh, yes. That were one of the most stressful 15 months I had in my life, after I was out the hospital that is. " Vlad chuckled fondly, like he was reminiscing good times. Danny wasnt sure if he will ever look at being hunted by the robot as good times. Then again he was speaking with a fruitloop, maybe to him it was.

"How did you do it, so that he works for you now?"

"Ah, that...That one time when I managed to break out one of his traps... things didnt went so well. In doing so I unintentionally set free something really dangerously out as well. I escaped it just in time, but Skulker was not so lucky. I could see him get caught by that monstrosity, I could have left... I should have left...but... he called out for help...I returned and saved him. He was the only one who got show me the way back home. I didnt yet build a portal at that time. "Vlad tilted his head stretching his arms and added."He lost most of his ectoplasmic body in that incident. He became so small that he fit in my hand..."

"Wait, you telling me wasnt that small ghost in robotic suit from the start?"

"Who do you think build him a robotic suit to begin with?" Danny pointed to Vlad who nodded. The younger halfa had trouble to imagine what could possible be Skulker look before that incident. "What happened then with that dangerous ghost?"

"Well being smaller than his smallest knife made it pretty much impossible for him to hunt it on his own. Together with the fact I saved his skin when I could have left him to his fate like a prey should.... His honor made him promote me from prey to hunter aprettence. Together with his ideas and my strategies we managed to hunt that thing down. After that I set out to build him a suit, while doing that he insisted to teach me in everything hunter has to know. "

"So Sulker taught you to use ghost powers?"

"No, no Daniel. He taught me how to sneak, read tracks, set up traps, use weapons and sword play. Once his suit was done he took me to a dangerous ghost territory where we hunted together. And where I picked up my first ghost artefact." Vlad sounded nostalgic as he said that, a hum leaving him. " The zone has places that you cannot even dream up. Layers upon layers and the deeper you dive the stranger things become... After that I was recognized by him as a full fledged hunter. "

Danny whistled, thinking back to when he was with his mom at that place of Vlad. He had to wonder if all those ghost animals he saw were hunted by the two of them. Not that he approved of it now. But it was impressive nonetheless. There was still something that bugged Danny now. Vlad said he build the suit for Skulker, giving him fancy new weapons ever so often...

"Do you know about the purple-"

"Purple back gorilla? That little program you friend Tucker use to annoy Skulker?" There was now a full fledged evil smirk on Vlad face, he started inspecting his nails as he spoke. "I could fix it easily, but its just so happens that it always slips my mind to fix that. And it just so happens that I find it an appropriate punishment for not informing me about your existence the moment he found out. Leaving me to believe I was the only one of my kind. C, c,c. Bad Skulker, go study gorials."

Danny stared at the man, that was... The deadpan seriousness he used to say that last part... The over acting and choice of words. If he had a white cat in his lap he would look like a comic villain... Danny laughed, he couldnt help it. It was simply hilarious to think Vlad enjoyed Tucker work. He could imagine Vlad call Skulker just in the right time for a meeting and then watching the hunter be forced to fly off, as a cheer up.

The night passed with out either of them noticing it as they taleked more then ever before and when Jazz knocked and entered the room she was staring baffed at Danny and Vlad who were sitting and grinning at each other, in middle of another story that was shared between them as a distraction of some dark shadows looming in the edges of their dreams. Danny was just catching his breath from giggling like madman.

Vlad smile fall a few levels as he noticed his red head sister, appearing now only as polite, he stood up wordlessly, and the truce was over as he left the room. He could tell it ended... and...Danny felt disappointed it ended. He knew it would, their little peace only existed for a few hours. Still... even if he didnt get much sleep that night he felt like he just had the best rest in weeks. It was disappointing that he will have to stop the fruitloop of pulling yet another plot and endanger his family.

"Danny?" Jazz asked, and he shock his head. 

"Tell you later."


End file.
